


By The Hands of The Ticking Clock

by InsomniacFlaaffy



Category: Gorillaz, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:40:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacFlaaffy/pseuds/InsomniacFlaaffy
Summary: Would you care for a doomed, unknown world to save it from evil when you have your own doomed life to deal with?
Kudos: 3





	1. Lost In Transition

**Author's Note:**

> I literally posted this story before a couple of years ago but it wasn't really popular. I deleted it and now posting it again with minor changes and better editing. I'm kinda throwing stories at the AO3 dartboard to see which ones stick with the fandom. Sorry if you're tired seeing my dumb stories.

It had been several days since Del was forcefully torn from Russel’s body, and about more than a month since Gorillaz split up after the utter failure of a movie deal fell through. He didn’t know the whereabouts of his past bandmates, or he couldn’t remember. His mind was in shambles, a deep fog of confusion. He felt so lost without Del. They were always together since they met.

At times, he thought he couldn’t live without Del. They were soul mates, brought together by destiny. But both knew that the ghost couldn’t stay in Russel’s body forever, to much disapproval. The Grim Reaper was on their backs and Russel grew weaker from lack of sleep and paranoia. Del decided it was best to leave his friend’s side for his safety. Russel was stuck in another coma during the exorcism, but he could feel and hear everything that happened to him underneath the cloak of darkness. Every painful tug on his body and soul, and every repeating prayer the priests shouted at him. It was like an endless nightmare from his childhood.

Now, he was here, wandering the desert countryside by his lonesome. The only company he had was the ringing and buzzing in his head. His skin and clothes reeked of body odor from weeks without bathing. He even grew a somewhat impressive silver beard over time. The energy he did have was reserved for walking and basic mental thinking.

Russel held a rugged plastic bag tight in his hand and it rustled with each step he took. Inside it was the only things his diet consisted of now: wheatgrass, water, and anti-psychotic pills. He lost so much weight from this so-called diet, he was almost as thin as Murdoc now. In the other hand, Russel clutched Del’s gold chain close to his chest. He fiddled with the chain in between his thumb and index finger, rubbing his thumb over the smooth surface. It brought both happiness and sadness to Russel, such wonderful memories and the crushing reality of loneliness. Sometimes, it felt like Del was back by his side again. It almost made Russel smile at all the stupid shit he used to do and say. His breath staggered as he inhaled, trying to hold back tears, then exhaled. He just wanted things to go back to how they were before. But no matter how much he pled, cried, or screamed, nothing would bring Del back.

The sun dipped over the horizon and night came quick, along with the comfortable coolness of summer nights. Not a single car passed him on the road as he walked along the shoulder. The chirps of crickets and the low hoots of owls in the distance kept the quietness at bay.

The lack of city lights and being out in the middle of nowhere was the best conditions for stargazing. Russel’s sight drifted up to the starry sky overhead; they twinkled so beautifully like diamonds. He wondered how Del would react if he saw him like this. Would he be disappointed to see how far he fell, how broken he was without him? Russel felt so pitiful and ashamed of his existence.

A thick fog began to roll in around Russel as the air grew crisp. The visibility shortened to the point that Russel could no longer see in front of him. He had to keep walking. The road was completely straight anyway as getting through the fog wouldn’t be too difficult. The wind whistled in his ears and the air temperature grew even colder. Something wasn’t quite right, but Russel pressed onward.

Far off in the foggy nothingness, two glowing lights grabbed his attention: an orb of yellow light and another of a purple hue. They darted about in a playful manner, chasing each other before dashing towards Russel.

The bright lights danced around his head; this had to be another sleepless delusion or medicated hallucination. All he had to do was to ride it out. He could hear the childish laughter coming from the orbs as trails of the same colored dust fell over him. Russel felt dazed, unable to move a muscle, from the shimmering magic powder. His eyelids hung heavier than usual and his body didn’t feel real at all.

A menacing heart shaped mask materialized from the fog. The mask’s edges were lined with sharp spikes and its orange-red eyes sliced through the fog like a knife. The mask’s wearer appeared seconds later: a small, wood-like imp who wore orange and red clothing. Every movement of the imp’s body sounded like the shaking of dry leaves. The orbs floated to the imp’s side. Their dragonfly wings fluttered as they hovered.

The imp lifted the mask up over his face, revealing his small beak for a mouth and his beady orange eyes. The imp laughed and said, “You fairies did great! This big guy, I wonder what kind of good stuff he’s got on him.”

He fitted the mask back over his face and shuffled cautiously towards the incapacitated Russel. He dug around through Russel’s pockets, only finding pocket lint and crumbs. The imp went for the man’s bag next but found nothing that interested him in it. He was about to give up until the gold chain in Russel’s head caught the greedy imp’s eye. The imp pried the chain out of Russel’s hand. It took some time since the man had a death grip on the chain but was successful in his attempt. He admired the chain as he held it up to the fairies then he put it on.

“Oh, oh! What a cool looking golden necklace!” A young boy’s voice said full of curiosity came from the purple fairy. “Skull Kid, let me see it, please? Please?”

The yellow fairy bumped into the purple fairy and glared at him. “No way, Tael!” A feminine and nagging voice came from the yellow fairy. “Knowing you, you’ll find a way to break it!”

“Aw sis…” the fairy referred to as Tael whined.

The effects of the fairies’ dust wore off and Russel slowly regained control of his body. He stared at the new creatures in front of him. He couldn’t quite comprehend what he was seeing. Whether it was a mere hallucination or an actual demon, that imp had Del’s chain and he had to get it back no matter what. Russel took a step towards the imp and the fairies immediately took notice of him. They trembled in fear. The Skull Kid saw this and turned to Russel. He yelped and jumped back in shock at the large man.

“Give it back. Now,” he demanded.

The Skull Kid stared up at Russel through the mask’s unblinking eyes while the imp messed with the chain in his hand. He looked at the fairies flying over his head and shouted, “Run for it!” before the three bolted deeper into the fog.

Russel gave chase after the thieves, but they were faster than he was and they disappeared underneath the cover of the fog. The imp’s laughter filled the air, taunting him as he continued running forward. He had to get it back, he had to. Leaves crunched under his feet and the smell of morning dew tickled his nose as Russel slowed himself to a stop. He panted and coughed while he rested his hands on his knees.

Though he was thinner than he was years ago, he was still out of shape.

The fog was beginning to fade and so did the imp’s laugh, trailing off into eerie silence. Russel wasn’t in the desert countryside, walking along beside the hot road. Giant trees stretching up to the heavens with their leaves blocking out the sky replaced the sand dunes and dry grass that he passed by earlier. No roads, no road signs, no telephone poles or lines. How long had he been chasing that imp to enter a forest?

His eyes darted about when he heard feet running across the leaf covered ground. It had to be that imp again. The sound was getting closer to Russel’s location and he hid behind a nearby tree, readying himself.

As the sound passed by him, Russel jumped out with his arms out to block the thief’s path. The creature collided with him and fell on to the forest floor, but it wasn’t the imp from before. It was young boy, no younger than 12 years old. He wore a green tunic with matching hat over his short, blond hair. The boy shook the leaves out his hair and looked around in a panic then he focused on Russel. His pointed, elf-like ears and the sword/shield combination on the kid’s back were what got Russel’s attention for a moment. It must have been cosplay for a comic convention.

The boy stood up and said, “Ah, sorry about that!” then took a step forward towards Russel. “I’m in a bit of a hurry. Are you okay?”

Russel just stared blankly at the kid.

“Uh,” the boy said awkwardly at the older man’s silence and then asked, “Have you see a Skull Kid wearing a freaky mask with two fairies pass by here? They stole some things from me and I have to catch them!”

“That imp took something important from me,” Russel muttered out, looking straight through the boy.

The boy’s eyes widened and exclaimed, “What? Really? That Skull Kid stole something from you too?”

He grabbed Russel’s arm and tugged on it though it was almost impossible to move someone of that size. “Come on! We have to catch him before he gets away!”

There was a small chance for him to get the chain back in this strange world. He followed the boy who ran a few feet ahead of him, deeper into the forest. The travel led them to a natural tunnel made from a rotting, hallowed out tree. “He had to go through here!” The boy exclaimed and ran through the tunnel towards the light at the end.

At the tunnel’s exit, the ground beneath the boy’s feet vanished and started to fall into the dark abyss. Russel grabbed the boy by his tunic’s collar before he could fall down any further. He dangled over the edge for a moment then Russel hauled him up and set him back on solid ground.

“Thanks,” the boy said, giving the older man a nervous smile and laugh. He looked over the tunnel’s abrupt end into the dark, endless chasm. The wind howled through the ceaseless crevasse. “That was a close one…” His comment was short lived when the decomposing wood floor under their feet creaked and collapsed. They instantly fell but Russel was quick to grab a low hanging vine. It snapped under their combined weight and they dropped into the chasm.

Their fall ended when Russel’s back crashed into something soft and large; pink flower petals and pollen fluttered down around them. Russel released the boy and he rolled off the large man’s stomach. An unnaturally large flower in an inch-deep pool of clear water was the object that broke their fall. Tall rock pillars reached upward into the air and the masked imp sat on top of one with the two fairies floating by his side.

“You two are persistent,” The Skull Kid said and hopped down from the pillar. He hovered in the air, crossed his right leg over his left, and folded his arms. “And so annoying! Why don’t you just give up?”

“Give us back our stuff!” The boy demanded and he stepped towards the Skull Kid.

Russel got up but stayed in place, he knew that getting anywhere near that imp was bad news. That glowing blank stare from that purple mask was unsettling. Something wasn’t right. Everything wasn’t right.

“You really think you can win against me?” The Skull Kid asked with a devilish cackle. “I’ll show you fools. I’ll wipe those smug grins off your faces!”

The imp shook both his head and the mask. The sound of dry leaves rustling grew ear-piercingly loud.

The mask’s chilling stare sliced right through Russel’s soul. He covered his ears from the deafening noise. He couldn’t block it out. Sentient vines wrapped themselves tight around his wrists and ankles. They slowly crept up his body, disabling his movements. He thrashed about, yet the vines only tightened and dug into his skin. The vines began to take over his body as gigantic wooden creatures covered in orange leaves surrounded him. Their glowing, orange eyes stared at him, watching him as the vines bore into his eye sockets and forced their way inside his mouth.

Russel’s head spun as he slowly regained consciousness. His whole body ached like he got hit by a truck. He put his hands to his face, it didn’t feel like it belonged to him. Russel looked at his reflection in the pool at his feet and was taken aback at what he was seeing. He was completely made of a dark brown wood. His mouth was reduced to a large hole in his head, and his eyes were sad and orange like the creatures he saw before. His apparel consisted now of brown fingerless gloves, large red boots, a pair of brown shorts with a red vest, and a large purple flower bud on his head used as a makeshift hat. He squeezed his hands into fists then opened them. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a hallucination and a bad one.

The masked imp broke out in laughter and said, “You two look hilarious! You’re going to stay in that form forever!” then he flew off into the darkness.

“No!” The boy called out to the Skull Kid and ran after him. He was also transformed into a wooden creature just as Russel was. “W-wait, undo this!” The yellow fairy dashed under the boy’s feet, tripping him up.

“Sis, hurry!” Tael shouted as he and Skull Kid disappeared into the darkness ahead.

“Whoa, whoa! Skull Kid, Tael, you guys can’t leave me behind!” The fairy cried out but received no answer. Her clear wings lowered in sadness and she immediately began beating the boy over the head with her own body. “This is all your fault! If I wasn’t messing with you I wouldn’t be separated from my brother!”

Russel stood there and watched the boy get beaten senseless by the little fairy. He couldn’t tell if this was reality or some sort of fever dream. If this was real, where was he and how did get here? What did he get himself into this time? He just wanted his chain back.


	2. Clock Town

“What are you going to do about it, huh, Deku Boy?! Huh?!” The fairy shouted as she continued bouncing off the boy’s head. She hadn’t noticed Russel inching himself closer behind her. He quickly clasped his hands together around the little fairy but not too tight as to hurt her. “Let me go, you brute!” she yelled, bumping her body against Russel’s fingers. Her clear wings fluttered wildly as she attempted to escape.

The boy got up from the ground and rubbed his wooden cheek. “Ow!” he exclaimed to the trapped fairy. “You’re so violent! I can’t believe I thought you were Navi!”

“All fairies aren’t the same!” she said, obviously offended. “My name is Tatl. Got that memorized!”

“I don’t care who or what your name is. I want to know where that damn imp went to.” Russel asserted. “I want my friend’s chain back.”

“And Epona, my horse!” the boy added.

“Imp? Chain? Horse?” Tatl chirped. “I don’t know a thing!”

The boy’s orange eyes narrowed and Russel began to close his hands on top of the fairy.

“Okay, okay!” Tatl cried out. “Skull Kid might be in Clock Town. Now, can you let this poor little girl go?”

Russel opened his hands and Tatl immediately zipped right out.

The boy rubbed the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh. “Sorry that I got you in this mess,” he said to Russel. “Now we’re stuck as Deku Scrubs for a while.”

“Deku Scrubs?” Russel asked as he looked down at himself again then back at the boy. “Is that what that imp turned us to? And why is a kid wandering in the forest by himself?”

“Hey, I’m not just some kid!” the boy then puffed out his chest and answered, “I’m Link, Hero of Time and the best swordsman in the land of Hyrule!” There was a pause then Link chuckled, “Well, I would show you if I still have my sword and shield.”

“Hyrule…” Russel repeated to himself, confusion audible in his voice. He wasn’t in Los Angeles or even the United States anymore. He had never heard of Hyrule before. That fog, that fog was what transported him to this strange world. How would he return to his own world after he got Del’s chain back?

“Yeah, Hyrule.” Link said and circled around Russel a few times. “I’ve never seen a Gerudo wear clothes like yours or this far from the desert.”

“Look, Link,” said Russel. “I’m not from here. I’m not even sure if you even exist. For all I know, you could be a figment of my imagination.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to believe it either.” Link replied. Russel had the feeling that the kid didn’t quite get what he was saying.

“Excuse me!” Tatl interrupted. “If you two are done being all chummy, we need to get to Clock Town! Now get in gear, this way!”

Tatl bolted forward, flying pass the gigantic rock pillars, and Link ran after her. Russel had no choice but to follow the strange boy and the floating ball of light. He couldn’t just sit there and stare at his feet; that would get nothing done. Russel ran after the two, surprised that his body was much lighter than before. The benefits of being completely made of wood, perhaps.

The open space around the three shrunk down to a single corridor made of grey bricks. It twisted and contorted the closer they got to the exit. Moss began to cover the walls and the floor. Russel’s legs felt wobbly underneath him as he, Link, and Tatl passed through the darkness of the exit. The slow ticking of a clock bore into where his ears used to be while his eyes started to adjust to the dim lighting. A hard, silver door slowly closed behind them, locking them out from going back to the forest that way.

“This place…” he heard Link say as the boy stared up at the ceiling above them.

Russel tilted his head up to the ceiling also. Wooden gears turned over their heads in time with the clock ticking within a brick enclosure. A rotating water wheel powered the tower of gears from a stream of steadily running water beneath it, flowing seemingly from nowhere.

“The inside of a clock tower.” Russel said, finishing Link’s thought and still looking up at the gears. “We’re inside of a clock tower.” From the outskirts of the city, to a forest, then a clock tower; Russel was getting further and further from where he was supposed to be. He listened to Murdoc’s doped up rants about transcending dimensions and other crazed nonsense though he didn’t believe it until now.

“Ah…you two seem to be in quiet the predicament. How unfortunate…” A man’s voice echoed out through the droning of the clock. Out from nowhere, a lanky, red headed man appeared before them. The large, beige sack decorated in masks upon the man’s back caused him to slump forward. An eerie smile stretched across his face and his royal purple suit made his presence to be somewhat off putting. He bowed before them and greeted, “I am the Happy Mask Salesman. I am a mere peddler that searches for masks and happiness in all times and places.”

“A mask salesman?” Link questioned.

Russel remained silent for the moment, thinking about the strange man said. ‘In all times and places’; could it mean that the mask salesman also traveled through dimensions as well? He stepped towards the Happy Mask Salesman and blurted out, “You know how to travel through different dimensions, right? You gotta tell me how I get back to my own world.”

The man’s closed eyes opened and focused on Russel, who took a step back out of caution. He replied with a chuckle, “Perhaps, but you should know others have problems too. Such as myself, as a matter of fact.”

Russel’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “You want something in return, don’t you?”

“Well I’m so glad you asked! You see,” the Happy Mask Salesman explained. “During my long journey, a very important mask was stolen from me by a little imp in the forest.”

“You mean that Skull Kid?” Link asked then both he and Russel looked up at Tatl.

Tatl, noticing their stares, turned her back to them. “I-I don’t know anything about that!” The fairy said with a nervous laugh.

Link returned his sight on the Happy Mask Salesman. “So that mask is yours? Just what is that mask anyway?”

“Obviously something evil if it could turn us into wooden creatures.” Russel added in.

The salesman clasped his hands together, causing the masks on his back to rattle. “But your efforts will not go unrewarded! Getting back my mask and your precious items shouldn’t be too difficult of a task for you gentlemen. I can revert you back to your true forms and even show you the way to where you belong. But I’m a very busy man and due to leave town in three days’ time.” The Happy Mask Salesman’s smile widened, revealing straight white teeth. Russel hadn’t noticed until now that the salesman’s mouth did not move when he spoke. “I’ll be waiting…” He said, chuckling softly. In the blink of an eye, the Happy Mask Salesman was gone.

“That guy gives me the creep!” Tatl’s small and shrill voice broke through the quietness. She floated out in front of them, up the clock tower’s ramps. “Let’s just get into town and find Skull Kid already.”

“Hey,” Link said to Russel as they climbed up several wooden ramps towards the tower’s doors. “Things went by so quick that I never caught your name.”

Up a set of tan stone stairs, they stood before large wooden double doors painted with faded red and blue symbols. The man answered, pressing his hand against a single door. “Name’s Russel. And you called me a Gerudo earlier, who or what is that? And what exactly are a Deku Scrubs?

“You’re really aren’t from here, are you?” Link asked, putting his hand on another door. “Well, Gerudos are a clan of dark-skinned desert thieves and I thought you were one. Though Gerudos are mostly female and the only male was Ganondorf so that wouldn’t make sense…” Link spaced out for a moment, just as his voice trailed off. He then shook his head and continued talking. “And Deku Scrubs are wood creatures who live in the forest and shoot nuts from their mouths. There were plenty of them where I used to live. Some are nice, but some can be really mean too.”

“Are you two done?” Tatl asked while she pushed her body against the doors. “Help a poor girl out and open these doors already!”

The doors creaked as the two men pushed them open, long and drawn out creaking from the old hinges. Light immediately flooded through the crack like a warm wave. Russel raised his arm to his face for his eyes to adjust to the change of lighting. The Deku Scrubs and the fairy walked into the light; the doors shut tight behind them.

A town now stretched out in front of them. A medieval era type of town, it appeared. Buildings were constructed with ragged, light brown bricks and layered hay roofing. High walls of the same stone material surrounded the town from the outside world. Only stairs and marked corridors were the only ways to the other parts of the town. Dirt and cobblestone lined the streets as the townspeople went about their daily lives, though it seemed that things were a bit more lively and vivid. Children ran about, there was hushed gossip between people, and the sounds of sawing and hammering droned on in the background like white noise. Everything was simpler. Russel was out of his comfort zone since he was so accustomed to blaring alarms, streetlights, and tall buildings; the normal sounds and sights of the city life.

“How could I not have heard of a town this big in the middle of the forest?” Link mumbled to himself.

“And an underground forest too,” said Russel. “Somehow we traveled upward through the Earth. Yet we went down when we fell.”

From underneath Link’s hat, Tatl appeared and hovered overhead. “Does it matter how we got here?” the fairy snapped. “The only thing that matters is that we’re in Clock Town and we still have to find Skull Kid. He’s probably outside the town walls. There’s tons of places other there where he likes to play.”

“Well, it’s a start,” said Link and the boy took a step forward. A man full in brown facial hair wearing more gaudy clothing than other civilians cut in front of Link and bumped into him. A person could feel the pompous attitude roll off the man as he glared at Link.

The man grumbled, “Out of my way, boy! I’ve got a lot on my mind!” then he walked off in the other direction whist mumbling something under his breath.

Russel’s eyes narrowed as his now rounded mouth was unable to frown at the rude fancy man. Good to know that disrespectful people weren’t in short supply in this universe. Someone or something suddenly bumped into him, he hoped it wasn’t the guy from before. It wasn’t the fancy man but a short, pudgy fish creature who was about a half a foot taller than Link. The creature had white skin with blue patterned splotches leading down the back of his head to his back. He walked with a bamboo cane and wore a navy-blue vest with a bowler hat on his head.

“Oh, excuse me,” he said kindly. “I can’t see what’s in front of me very well. Forgive me.”

Russel thought the guy would have some eye problem seeing with his eyes on either side of his head. The creature excused himself and waddled pass the two Dekus, heading the same way the fancy man went. He noticed Link spacing out again as he watched the fish man walk away.

“Link, let’s get moving,” said Russel as he rested a hand on the kid’s head and led him towards the town exit.

“Uh, yeah…” Link’s voice trailed off, looking over his shoulder several times.

“Boss, c’mon. Let’s just get outta here. It’s a lost cause and all the boys are scared outta their minds!” Russel overheard two men, workers it looked like, converse in the middle of the town as they walked by an incomplete scaffolding.

“Don’t believe those wives’ gossip tales, you moron!” The older man shouted, spit flying at the younger man’s face. “We can’t cancel the traditional festival! We only have three days until the carnival! Hurry up!”

‘A carnival in three days?’ Russel thought to himself. No wonder the town was so lively. A lot of things seemed to be happening in three days’ time. It felt all like a big coincidence. But it meant be could leave in three days also; the quicker, the better.

The two passed by the guard at the town exit. But the lightly armored man blocked their path with a sharp spear in his hand. “Not so fast, Dekus.” The guard said sternly. “I can’t let you leave Clock Town.”

Link spoke up first, “But we got an errand to run!”

“There’s lots of marshes, valleys, and scary monsters outside of town.” The guard explained to them as if they were a bunch of children. Russel felt offended at that. “Plus, you two don’t even have a sword between you. It’s dangerous. Go back in town and enjoy yourselves.”

“But-But!” Link stammered. “I’m a hero, believe or not! I fight monsters all the time! Me and my friend will be okay, I promise!”

The guard chuckled and gave Link a pat on his head. “I see! I see!” he said with a grin on his face. “You boys go on and play hero inside the town, okay?”

“I’m not playing a game –” Link began to retort.

“Link, stop while you’re ahead.” Russel cut off the boy from speaking any further. “We’re not convincing anyone looking like this.”

The boy sighed, slumped his head down in defeat, and stepped away from the guard. When he lifted his head up straight, a blond Schnauzer was staring Link down. Russel hadn’t noticed the dog approach them but there it was, growling and baring its teeth at them. Link bolted, and the dog chased after him as if its life depended on it. 

It was obvious it didn’t like what they were. Russel ran after them. He couldn’t let the boy get eaten by some yip-yap dog, though the dog and Link were much faster than he was. Russel managed to catch up to them after running to another part of the town. The Schnauzer had Link backed into a corner and immediately, Russel slid in between the two. It lunged at him and its sharp fangs clamped down hard on his forearm.

“Bad dog!” he heard a woman’s voice shout. “Let him go!” A white parasol smacked the dog over the top of its head. It released his arm on impact, hit the ground with a frightened yelp, and ran off in the opposite direction.

Russel looked down at his injured arm. The dog left deep indents in his wooden flesh. It hurt like hell, but he would live.

“Are you two okay?” He looked up at the woman’s voice next to him. She was a slender and tall woman whose short red hair curled around her pointed ears. Her bright blue eyes stared down at him with curiosity, waiting for his reply.

“I’ve been better but I’m fine. Thank you.” Russel responded in his most polite voice. He looked over at Link, who still sat on the ground. “Still in one piece, Link?”

The Deku Scrub boy got to his feet and dusted the dirt off his clothes. Scrapes large and small covered body, hands, and face. He adjusted his hat and said, “I’m okay. Can’t believe a dog had me running…”

The woman stepped closer to them. “Oh dear, you two got hurt! That’s not good at all!” Before either of them could reject, she scooped Link up in one of her arms, opened her parasol, and wrapped her other arm around Russel’s. “My home is nearby to here actually,” she said with a soft smile on her face as she guided them back to the clock tower. “We’ll get some medicine on those wounds and you will be good as new.”

“My name is Anju, by the way. Is this your first time in town?” Anju went on as they walked through town. “Of course, you two would be here for the carnival. You’re father and son, right? It’s easy to get lost here for visitors.”

“He’s not my father,” Link said. “He’s a…family…friend?”

“Oh?” said Anju. She looked over at Russel and smiled. “Well, your mother certainly put you in good hands. How he defended you from danger, very brave indeed.”

Russel found the ground very interesting to look at in that moment.

“Here we are. The Stock Pot Inn; the only hotel in the town.” Anju announced as they drew closer to a building with a large bell on its roof. “My family owns the inn. I live here with my mother and grandmother.”

She opened the wooden door and let them in. At the front deck stood a woman older and plumper than Anju herself but she appeared similar to the young woman. “Oh, welcome back, Anju.” The woman greeted in a gruff voice. “Who is that?”

“Just some injured guests, Mother.” Anju replied while she closed her parasol and leaned it against the wall by the door. “Could you get me the first aid kit for me?”

“Honestly Anju,” her mother nagged as she reached under the desk and handed her daughter the average sided box by the handle. “We have to prepare to take refuge soon!”

“Mother, we can’t!” Anju countered, taking the kit out her hand and heading for the stairs. “As long as the mayor says that the carnival is still happening then we have to take care our guests.”  
Anju’s mother scolded her from the bottom of the stairs as she climbed upwards. “Are you still waiting for Kafei? Anju, just give up already! He’s not coming back!”

Anju led the two to the first room on the top of the stairs and slammed the door shut behind her. She held her head down for a moment, holding onto Link tight in her arm, then perked up again. There were two beds in the room, but Anju sat them down on the bed closest to the window, overlooking the town below. The woman tended to Russel’s injuries first. She seemed to know what she was doing. Anju made quick work of cleaning his wound and dressing it with a cloth bandage. It was a bit outdated in the way of modern medicine but at least his arm stopped hurting.

“There! All done!” said Anju with a smile, “Now for the little boy.” And she moved over to Link.

Russel stared out the window nearby, looking at the roofs of the other buildings while he listened to Anju and Link conversate.

“Um…is this Hyrule?” the boy asked her.

Anju answered, confused, “Hyrule? This is Termina. Clock Town of Termina. I’ve never heard of a country named Hyrule before…”

The way Link replied was a disappointed “Oh…”, he realized that it wasn’t what the boy wanted to hear. Hyrule, that country Link said he was from wasn’t where they were. So Link was just as lost as he was.

“This town is supposed to be livelier this time of year.” Anju admitted. “But everything had gone quiet because of a rumor that’s making round. They say in three days, on the day of the carnival, the moon will fall.”

The moon falling in three days? Russel shook his head a little at the statement, it sounded too silly to be true. He stopped staring at the roofs now and focused on the blue, cloudless sky above. His white eyes widened in shock at what he saw. A huge grey rock hung in the middle of the sky, closer to the Earth than it should be. It wasn’t like any moon he had seen before. This moon had orange-red eyes which glared down at the town below and it had teeth, upturned in a vicious snarl. If that rock did hit the town, the whole town and anything around it would be reduce to a fiery crater. No wonder that mask salesman wanted to leave so quickly: to get out of the damage area.

“The whole town is divided, those who will take refuge and those who will carry on with the carnival.”

“You’re not leaving town, Miss Anju?”

“I think you should,” Russel added in, turning back to Link and Anju. “Save yourself.”

Anju gave him another small smile as she finished cleaning up Link and she shut the first aid box close. “I know you’re worried about me, but I can’t. Not now.”

“Because you’re waiting for this Kafei guy, right?” Russel said. “No man is worth your safety.”

A frown replaced Anju’s smile and she faced a wedding dress tucked away in the corner of the room.   
“Perhaps you’re right,” she said. “But we were promised to be married on the day of the carnival and he went missing. I wonder if he’ll come back. To tell you the truth, I’m really scared.”

Link cut across Russel before he could speak another word. “Don’t worry Miss Anju, it’ll be okay. I’m sure he’ll come back. He wouldn’t break a promise with a special lady like you!”

The smile returned to Anju’s face at the boy’s words and she laughed. “You’re so sweet! You’re right, little boy. I think I’ll stay, I still have three days after all. He could come back during that time.” The woman looked over at the clock hanging on the wall and gasped, “Oh dear, I’m late making lunch! You two stay here and I’ll bring you something to eat,” then she exited the room.

“Well, aren’t you great with women.” Tatl commented when she came out from under Link’s hat. “Depressing and insensitive. I sure know how to pick ‘em.”

“I was being realistic,” Russel snapped back at the fairy.

“You really don’t know anything about women, huh?”

“And you don’t know anything about me.”

Link intervened, “Okay, okay. Let’s all just calm down. Since we can’t leave town, maybe the townsfolk know where Skull Kid is.”

“Whatever,” the fairy spat out. “The quicker we find my brother and Skull Kid, the better. If we want real information, we should check with the Great Fairy in town. She sees everything.”

“The Great Fairy?” the older Deku asked.

Tatl groaned, “Of course you don’t know anything. I’m the only one here that has a smart head on her shoulders in this group.” The yellow fairy explained, “The Great Fairy is the ruler of a certain group of fairies. One Great Fairy lives right here in Clock Town. Now stop sitting around and let’s get going.” She looked at the ticking clock on the wall and exclaimed, “You guys already wasted several hours with this nonsense!”

“You don’t have to be short, you know.” Link said as he crawled off the bed. “We do have three days to find Skull Kid. That’s plenty of time.”

“She is short. But Tatl’s right, we are wasting time,” said Russel, standing up also.

“She is?” Link asked, puzzled.

“I am?” asked Tatl, astonished, then she corrected herself. “I mean, of course I am! You guys would be completely lost without me!”

Russel pulled Link over to the window, showing him the massive rock hovering over the town. “Anju wasn’t kidding’ about the moon falling’. That mask that Skull Kid had, that turned us into this, is the same thing that’s bringing the moon down on this whole town.” His eyes narrowed, and he gripped the windowsill tight. “We’re dealing with strong dark magic here. Who knows what will happen.”

“That’s an even bigger reason to save my brother!” shouted Tatl. “And, oh yeah, probably save the town from becoming a stone pancake. That second thing is important too, I guess.”

Russel scoffed, “You think we can just walk up to Skull Kid and ask him nicely to stop then he’ll just make everything right?”

“Hey,” she said. “I didn’t say it would be easy.”

“We have to find him first before we can even think about a step two.” Link pointed out. “We still have three days and nights if we don’t sleep, to gather all the info we can.”

Anju, holding a tray full of food in her hands, passed by the two Deku as they descended the staircase. She frowned, “Are you two leaving so soon? Won’t you stay for lunch at least?”

“Sorry, Miss Anju. We have some place important to go.” Link answered, which wasn’t all a lie or the complete truth. Russel let the boy do all the talking for the moment. He was more approachable and better at holding conversations.

“Well,” the young innkeeper said. “Enjoy your stay in Clock Town. Come back if you want some good, homemade food. You two are always welcomed to the Stock Pot Inn.” Anju smiled warmly, continued up the stairs, and disappeared around the corner.

Russel felt utterly disconnected from the world. He still wasn’t sure if the world he was walking through was even real. These strangers, this odd body he was forced to have; how was he supposed to care? He was stuck in a mental fog, unable to feel positive emotions to the environment around him. All he wanted to do was get what was rightfully his and go back home. But, would there be anyone waiting for him back home? Of course not, they all left him to rot inside his own mind. One emotion he did feel was uncontrollable bitterness. A smack against the side of his head brought him back to the strange world he stood in.

“Are you daydreaming again? Seriously?” Tatl scolded him as she fluttered inches away from Russel’s face. “Come on, we’re already at the Great Fairy Fountain.”

He batted her away and looked at the massive hole in the wall then now stood before. Decorated in strange symbols and moss growing up the wall, a cold draft wafted from deep within the hole. Tatl flew inside, her yellow light was swallowed up by the hole’s inky darkness. Not even sunlight broke through the tunnel’s darkness. Russel didn’t hesitate to walk inside. If this Great Fairy could get him closer to going back home, then he would certainly take her help.

“I can tell something’s bothering you,” Russel heard Link say. “That distant stare, you got a lot on your mind, huh?”

“It’s really ain’t something a kid should worry about,” Russel stated flatly.

Link chuckled, “If I had a Rupee for each time an adult told me that, I could buy all the cows in Lon Lon Ranch. To tell you the truth, I’m more of an adult than actual adults I met in my travels.”

Russel didn’t really believe the boy. Lots of children would claim the same thing, that they were mature for their age. He heard it said many times from…her. His heart began to sink but he focused on the light at the end of the tunnel to ignore the pain. The smell of wet dirt and damp moss filled his nose the closer they approached the light. Did they even have noses anymore? Were their gapping mouths considered noses now?

At the end of the long and dark tunnel, the source of the light was all coming from a fountain. It was completely carved from white marble, even down to the columns and archways that circled the base for the monument. No moss dared touch the fountain, it only grew around it. The water in the fountain was crystal clear and several inches deep. Its surface rippled slowly against the gentle breeze that rolled over the water. There was some kind of energy behind the location, Russel couldn’t pinpoint it but there was something in the background. It was some sort of cooling sensation that wrapped itself around him in a soft embrace. The feeling was comforting.

“Brace yourself,” warned Link. “This is going to get really weird, really quick…”

He wasn’t sure what Link was going on about, until he heard the laughter. A woman’s sensual laugh echoed off the walls of the dark chamber. Out from the middle of the small pool of water, a giant woman seemingly spun into existence. She had to be about 10 feet tall, shimmering orange hair was tied back into long ponytails, and vines of ivy covered her slender body. She laid her body out in the air as if she was lying across a sofa. Tatl was microscopic compared to the giant magic woman.

“Welcome young Tatl and the two with the altered forms! I am the Great Fairy of Magic,” she greeted them. “You must be looking for the masked Skull Kid like everyone else. I almost fell for the boy’s false kindness, but I fear my sisters may be in trouble.”

“But you do know where Skull Kid at?” Tatl immediately asked.

The Great Fairy shook her head. “Sadly, I do not. The mask he wears hinders my sight. Though,” she straightened herself up into a sitting position. “The children around town, the Bombers was it, may know of the Skull Kid’s location.”

Tatl’s wings drooped and she groaned, “Ugh, kids? You have got to be kidding me.”

The Great Fairy giggled. “Oh, Tatl. You underestimate the ability of children.” From sitting, she spun about with laughter. The Great Fairy came to a stop with her arms outstretched towards the Deku turned boys. “Now let me grant you two power that will aid you in your adventure. Receive now!”

A swirling pillar of orange light descended upon them from the darkness above their heads. Russel grew dizzy as the strange light encased him, his eyesight went blurry and his body swayed. Something stirred within his chest, like a bubble forming in his lungs. It grew to his ribs then suddenly burst, and a tingling sensation slowly drained into his limbs. The strange light dissipated, and the sensation subsided.  
“Your journey has just begun,” The Great Fairy said then winked at them. “Come back to me when battle has made you weary.” She blew a kiss and disappeared back into the fountain in a spark of orange and laughter.

Russel stood there looking at the fountain, still trying to wrap his head around what he just witnessed.

“So –” Link started to say.

“We’re just gonna accept strange powers from giant, half naked magic women in the center of mysterious fountains from now on, huh?” Russel interrupted.

“If you’re going to travel with me,” said Link as he headed back the way they came. “Then yeah. You’ll get used to it, though.”

“Alright,” Tatl said and bumped against the back of Russel’s head. “Enough gawking, big guy. Time to get moving.”

Russel looked back at the fountain for a moment quietly then followed the two.

Beneath Clock Town, within its sewers, was cold, damp, and dark. Water droplets dripped rhythmically from the old brickwork over their heads, down into the foot-deep canals below. A chilling breeze caused the wall torches’ flames to dance and their orange light to flicker a bit. A clock on the wall by the entrance ticked onward, echoing through the small corridors.

Tatl’s yellow light flickered and she shuddered. “What kind of kids puts their hideout in the sewers?” she asked. “Yeah, no one will find it, but do we have to wade through water to get there?”

“It could be much worse,” Link replied, sitting upon Russel’s shoulders. “Plus, there’s nowhere else to get to the hideout.”

The freezing waters sloshed around as the older Deku walked forward. He held on to the boy’s legs to keep himself the least wet as he possibly could manage. The water level was too high for Link to wade it in himself; it would easily drag him under its surface. Russel had retained most of his height in his new form. If both of them were short, traversing over the water would be difficult. The canal took a sharp 90 degree turn to the left and the water level suddenly went shallow as it continued into darkness. It was barricaded by iron bars so traveling through the water was no longer an option. There was only one other way to go; a side room leading deeper into the underground.

‘Good.’ Russel thought while he set Link on solid ground and hauled himself out of the water. He trembled as a soft breeze hit his wet body and he squeezed the water from out his clothes. He hated being wet and cold, both at the same time put him in a sour mood.

Link took lead of the party and started walking down the corridor. Russel followed behind the boy though he kept his distance between him, the boy, and the fairy. There was a scratching sound against the brick above his head. It grew louder and closer the further their group walked. Slowing his walk to a complete stop, Russel looked around the general area in suspicion.

Tatl stopped in her tracks and rushed back, ramming her body against Russel’s head. “How many times do I have to catch you daydreaming?” The fairy nagged.

Before he could talk back to the fairy, he caught a glimpse of a large shadow descend slowly from the ceiling in front of him and Tatl. It landed on the damp bricks with inhuman daintiness and crawled towards them. The scratching sound followed it. The light of the torches chased away the shadows the creature was draped in. It was a giant black spider. Its many eyes gleamed like emeralds and it had a menacing white skull design on its abdomen. Drool dripped from the spider’s mouth as it drew closer to the two.

“Russel! Tatl!” Link shouted from behind the creature. It didn’t have its’ eyes set on the boy.

“Skulltula!” Tatl exclaimed then darted behind Russel. “Alright big guy, show it what you’re made of.”

“Me?! What the hell do you want me to do to that…thing?” Russel said exasperated and pointing at the large spider.

“I dunno! Kick it! Punch it! Just kill it already! I didn’t come all this way to be Skulltula food!”

Russel took an uneasy step back as the Skulltula crawled closer. He had to do something, his back was literally against the wall. Then an idea came to him. Dekus could shoot nuts from their mouths as he learned earlier. It was all he had now and he was running out of time. Death was a very large spider who wanted to suck his insides out. There wasn’t time left, Russel took a sharp inhale then exhaled. From his mouth, a stream of light green bubbles shot out and enveloped the Skulltula. The spider staggered backwards, and it let out a loud screech, flailing its legs about. It took another step back and fell on its back. A dying gurgle came out of the Skulltula. It curled up, slowly burned, and crumbled away.

There was silence.

Then Tatl’s snickering broke the silence, which turned to full blown out laughter in seconds. “Oh my Goddesses, bubbles!" she said in between her laughing. “He shoots out bubbles! What a riot!”

Though he was sure his wooden body lacked blood, Russel felt his face burn hot with either anger or embarrassment. He couldn’t tell. “Well, I got rid of the thing, didn’t I?” he muttered.

Tatl gasped for air as began to settle herself. “Okay, okay. I’m good, seriously.” The fairy said then snorted, “Bubbles, ha!”

Russel furrowed his brows and stomped pass Link. “Let’s just get going…” he grumbled.

Climbing up a wooden ladder and going through another dark tunnel brought the group to the Bombers’ hideout. None of them were expecting a hideout for a bunch of kids to actually be an observatory. Traveling up the rainbow-colored wooden stairs led them to the top of the observatory. An aged old man wearing blue stood in front of a massive telescope protruding out of the star patterned roof.

“I’ve been waiting for more guests to visit me,” the old man greeted the Dekus with a smile. “I am Professor Shikashi. Are you friends of the Bombers?”

“You could say that,” said Link.

Russel recalled the game of hide-and-seek Jim and his gang forced them to play to even get here. The game almost took the whole day to finish and Tatl wasn’t happy about them ‘wasting time’. He remembered Jim and the Bombers saying that he was ‘cool for a grown-up’ but couldn’t let them join due to Skull Kid.

“Well, the children have grown warier of non-humans ever since that Skull Kid.” The Professor stated. “I’m surprised they let you know of this place.”

“Skull Kid been messing up lots of things, I’ve noticed.” Russel commented. “We’re looking for him.”

“Professor,” Link piped in. “May I use your telescope?”

“Of course you may,” the old man replied. “I enjoy when young ones are interested in the world above our heads.”

Link stepped up to the telescope and set one of his orange eyes against the large eye piece.

A blue, tear drop shaped jewel closed off in a glass display case caught Russel’s interest. He started at the seemingly floating jewel and asked, “What’s this?”

Professor Shikashi walked to the other side of the display case and answered proudly, “That would be the Moon’s Tear. They fall from the moon’s eyes and, due to certain events, have been falling much more recently.”

“The moon’s eyes?” Russel repeated, puzzled. So this moon always had a face?

The Professor nodded. “Why, yes. It makes them very valuable. Even Skull Kid tried to steal my Moon’s Tear and threatened to destroy my telescope. The nerve of that boy!”

Russel did not stay another word, only looked back at the Moon’s Tear rotating slowly on its axis. It seemed like everyone’s problems started with Skull Kid and that mask he now owned. Was there any way to stop that rampaging imp?

“There he is! I found Skull Kid!” Link exclaimed; his eye was still pressed firmly on the eye piece. Then he lifted his face up and gestured the older Deku to come over.

With haste, Russel came over to Link’s side and peered into the telescope. It took a moment for everything to come into focus but the equipment he was using was powerful. When the image came to view, Russel could only clench his fists in anger. There Skull Kid was, dancing about on top of the clock tower as the setting sun burned in the background. He must have noticed Russel was looking at him because he immediately stopped was he was doing and stared right at him. For the longest time, those unblinking eyes watched him before Skull Kid’s neck craned up to the moon above.

Russel stepped away from the telescope in silence and walked down from the steps.

“Hey Professor,” asked Link. “Is there any way to get on top of the clock tower?”

The Professor scratched his white beard in thought. “Mmm, I do recall that the stairs of the clock tower come down on the eve of the carnival…”

“Then we’ll wait ‘till then,” said Russel. “Not like we can leave town anyway.” Though they found the location of Skull Kid, Russel was not feeling a shred of optimism for the situation. How would they even stop the imp? They were completely powerless to the powers of that mask…


	3. Confrontation

“Miss Anju, we’re back!” Link announced as he, Russel, and Tatl pushed through the Stock Pot Inn’s front door. It was late afternoon in Clock Town when they returned from the observatory. A whole day wasted just trying to find Skull Kid’s whereabouts. Better than coming up empty handed. Now, the three were tired from all the events that took place in the small window of time. Anju did say that they were always welcomed in her hotel.

The young red headed woman replaced her mother behind the front desk. A pleasant change from the more intimidating, less welcoming older woman. “Welcome back, you two!” Anju greeted them with a smile and a wave. “How have you been enjoying Clock Town?”

“It’s a good change,” Russel replied as they approached the woman. “Used to more of an urban setting.”

“I bet,” said Anju. Suddenly, the woman gasped. “I never even gotten your names!” She began to bow at them quick and repeatedly. “I’m sorry, so sorry! That was rude of me. So much had happened that I completely forgot!”

“I’m Link,” the smaller Deku said. “And this is Russel.”

Russel gave her a quiet nod.

“Russel,” Anju repeated, tapping a finger upon her cheek. “That name sounds a bit familiar…” She opened the red hardcover book in front of her. Her fingertips touched her tongue and she started to flip through the book’s tan pages. “Ah-hah, there we are!” Anju exclaimed, and she turned the book to face Russel correctly. “Mister Russel, you should have told me earlier that you had a reservation! Makes my job a whole lot easier, to be honest.”

“But I never –” He began to say until his eyes set on a name on top of the page. In his own neat and cursive handwriting was Russel’s name, clear as day. There was no mistaking it, no one could mock or copy it. He wasn’t sure why, but he had a reservation at this place. It boggled him to no end. How could his name be in a book in a world he never been to?

“Your room is the Knife Chamber.” Anju said as she dropped the key into Russel’s hand. “Second door at the top of the stairs.”

The key was small and silver with a wooden tag attached to it. The words Stock Pot Inn was engraved on the tag in a language he had never seen before. Strange indeed that he could understand it.

The key stuck fast in the keyhole; a perfect fit. The lock clicked as Russel gave it a turn and he pushed the door open. The so-called Knife Chamber was almost identical to Anju’s room. Two twin sized beds, a window overlooking the town, a roaring fire in the cobblestone fireplace, and a small wooden table with two matching chairs. There was a section of the wall by the door where the wallpaper had peeled, exposing the wood panels underneath. It wasn’t anything five star or super fancy, but it was a place to rest their heads and let the recent events simmer in their minds.

Link ran over and flopped his body face first on the bed closest to the door. Russel sat down on the bed adjacent from the boy, next to the window. He lowered the curtains over the windows, blocking out the world from his view. He had enough of Clock Town for today. Like he wanted to watch that menacing moon for the rest of the day.

“So, what’s your story? What were you doing on the Lost Woods?”

Russel turned around. Link was now sitting up in his bed with the soles of his boots touching as he held them. He looked at the older Deku, waiting for his response.

He didn’t reply, only stared at the fire burning in the fireplace.

“You don’t have to talk right now.” The child said. “That’s okay. I get it. You probably don’t trust me yet, I understand. Who would trust a random kid they just met?”

“I should be asking why a kid was wandering in a forest by himself in the first place.” Said Russel.

Link replied, “I was looking for a friend. A fairy, to be exact.”

“No wonder you thought I was a different fairy,” Tatl commented. “Still, you shouldn’t think all fairies look the same.”

“Yeah. Navi would never spook my horse, steal my ocarina, and then turn me into a Deku Scrub.”

Tatl’s dragonfly wings stiffened at the boy’s words and Russel snorted. Link didn’t seem to be the kind of kid to hold grudges, but it didn’t excuse the boy from expressing passive aggressiveness.

“Now it’s your turn,” said Link. “I said what I was doing in the Lost Woods and now it’s your turn to share.”

“I was…” Russel answered slowly. “I was looking for an escape…” It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth. He didn’t was to share too much with the kid.

Before Link could ask any questions, there was a knock on the door. The door cracked open and Anju’s head poked inside of the room. “Sorry to bother you two again,” she said. “But I’m about the prepare dinner and I could use the company. Is that okay?”

“Sure Miss Anju,” Link said. He slid off the bed and headed for the door.

Not wanting to be left alone with his thoughts, Russel joined them. Food was always a comforting thing, no matter where he was.

The inn’s kitchen was considerably simple compared to kitchens Russel was used to. White and pink tile decorated the medium sized room’s floor. Fancy looking chinaware filled a wooden cabinet with glass in its door. Reminded Russel of his grandmother at the sight. A large wood fire oven and stove occupied a corner of the room, along with large clay pots with cloth covering their tops. An island counter sat in the middle of the room. A bountiful amount of fruit and vegetables lay on its hard surface. Plenty to feed a hotel full of people.

“Please excuse the mess,” Anju apologized. She picked up Link and sat him down on one of the empty counters. “The carnival and the wedding have taken up my time. It’s difficult to focus on everything all at the same time.” The young lady began to gather ingredients in her arms. “I’m just worried. Worried about Kafei. Worried about the town…”

It was spur of the moment, but Russel approached Anju and took the items from her hands. “Let me do the cooking.” He said.

Shocked, Anju replied, “But you’re our guest! I can’t let you do tasks such as cooking!”

“I insist,” Russel said and placed the ingredients back on the counter. None of them he actually needed. They seemed to be picked up at random. Though he was a guest, he needed to cook. It was the only way to ease his anxieties in a place like this, to clear his racing thoughts.

“Eating Deku cooking…” Anju said then clapped her hands together. “Sounds wonderful! I bet the others will love the exotic taste! Perhaps I can even learn a thing or two from you. Cooking isn’t my forte, but I try my hardest for the guests.” She sat down in a nearby chair and said, “Oh pardon me, don’t let my ramblings keep you from doing what you need to do.”

“Thanks,” Russel started to get to work.

A small wading pool was tucked away in the corner of the kitchen. Several fish of various colors swam about in the foot-deep water. A breed of fish Russel had never seen before in his life. It’s wasn’t uncommon for chefs to raise their own fish to have for cooking. The fish flopped around as he snagged them out of the water by the base of their tails. They were a good size, plump, and ready for   
consumption. Three of them would do.

A large pan was prepared over top of the wood fire stove, the biggest one he could find. It sizzled as he poured ropes of olive oil on the hot surface, causing white smoke to rise in the air. Chopped onions, red and green bell peppers were added which made the pan sizzle even more. The vegetables sautéed quick; he removed them from the heat and put them off to the side.

Russel cleared a spot on the counter top, pushing aside unused vegetables off to the side and laid the fish down. He filled a pot with water, brought it to a boil, and threw some rice in it from one of the clay pots. While the rice cooked, he handled the fish. Cleaning, trimming the fins, snapping the head away, and removing the innards; good thing he didn’t have a weak stomach. He reused the pan from earlier, returned it to the heat, reapplied oil, and slowly placed the sections of meat on the hot surface.

“It smells great,” Anju commented behind his back.

She was right. The scent of cooked vegetable and frying meat wafted through the kitchen air. It brought back fond memories of making dinner back in Kong Studios.

He prepared a sauce as the fish fried. It was a mixture of sugar, lemon juice, finely chopped garlic, chilies, and vinegar combined into a thick liquid. He spooned a generous amount of white rice in the middle of a plate and the vegetables were placed around it. A single square of fried fish was added to the top of the mound and the sauce was drizzled over the meat with delicacy. He made more servings of the meal for the rest of the hotel guests.

“Here,” Russel said as he handed Anju a plate and a fork. “Give it a try.”

The young woman looked up at him then the food and gave him a nod. “Alright,” she said and dug into her meal. When she took a bite, her face flushed with red and a blissful smile appeared on her face. 

“This is delicious! I’m sure everyone will find it just as tasty!” Anju put two plates on a wooden tray and got up from her seat. “Let me take these to my mother and grandmother. I know they must be starving by now.” The heels of her shoes clacked against the tile and she disappeared around the corner.

“Where did you learn how to cook?” Link finally spoke up. He was so quiet that Russel almost forgot the kid was even in the room. He was trying to break the ice, ease the uncertainty and tension.

“Learned from my ma and granny,” Russel replied while he cleaned up after his mess. “Taught myself a little too. Used to cook for my friends.” He fondly remembered making meals for the others. The memory of watching them scarf down his cooking were still fresh, causing his heart to ache and his stomach to twist in knots.

“Was she nice?”

The question threw Russel off. He stopped what he was doing to look at the boy. Link was staring at him again, waiting for an answer.

“Was she nice?” he repeated. “Your mother, I mean.”

Russel nodded his head as he recalled more memories. “Yeah,” he said. “She was a nice woman. Strict at times but very loving.”

The intense look in Link’s eyes was something he never seen before in him. Russel didn’t think too much about it and continued to clean up the kitchen.

“Never met my mom,” Link said, kicking his feet back and forth. “She died when I was just a baby. The Great Deku Tree raised me.”

“A tree?” Russel blurted out. “Trees don’t make great parents.” He realized what he said just as the words fell out of his mouth. God, he probably sounded like a complete ass.

“Guess you’re right,” the boy said with a shrug. “I was kind of an outcast among the Kokiri kids. Never could really fit it. Maybe because I was different from them.”

Russel threw the cloth he was using off to the side and he leaned his back against the kitchen wall. “Why are you telling me all this?” Quickly, he corrected himself. “I mean, you just met me. You trust me that much?”

“Well, yeah!” said Link and he hopped off the countertop. “I have a good sense of right. I know you’re a good person, Russel. Since we’re going to be together for the next two days, I thought it would be a good idea to get to know each other.”

Russel turned his head away from the child. Like he needed to get attached to another kid right now. As soon as he got that mask back and turned human again, he was going back to Los Angeles immediately. He would forget all of this world’s existence and return to wandering the streets as he did before. It was only a matter of time. And time was something he had little of in that moment.

Time ticked on agonizingly down to the eve of the carnival. To Russel, it felt like he was waiting for his impending doom. The moon was getting larger in size the closer it got to the Earth. He spent most of his time on Stock Pot Inn’s roof, his head looking upwards as he watched the moon. Russel kept his socialization to a minimum, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to conversate. He wondered what the others were doing. Were they eating? Probably not, they fell apart if there was a missing piece to the puzzle. They needed him to be there but when he needed their help and support, they left him all alone. All alone…

“It’s gotten really big, hasn’t it?” He heard a voice beside him say. Russel looked over and Link was standing by his side. “Can’t believe that Skull Kid can do something like this.”

He hadn’t heard the boy open the door leading to the roof behind him. Link was quieter than he looked. Perhaps it was due to his small size in his Deku body. Russel didn’t have much to say that wasn’t said already. All he could think of now was how they could get that mask away from Skull Kid.

When the clock hit midnight, fireworks fired into the dark sky around the clock tower in South Clock Town. It was a dazzling display of different colors they could see from the inn’s roof. The clock tower’s rounded top lifted to the sky then fell over like a pendulum, changing positions with the tower’s dials. As the fireworks show came to an end, the ground beneath their feet quaked wildly.

“Come on!” Tatl shouted as she fluttered ahead of the Dekus. “The entrance to the top of the clock tower should be open now! Let’s go!”

Link looked up at Russel, who gave him a quiet nod. Both hopped off the roof from a hay covered outcropping, landed on their feet without injury, and ran for South Clock Town. Most, if not all, of the town’s residents had evacuated from their homes. All that were left were the town guards, Anju back at the inn, and the construction manager who he seen earlier without his workers. The town felt so dead compared to how lively it was when they arrived two days ago. So much despair in a place that should be happy at this time of year.

An opening appeared in the middle of the clock tower, leading to a flight of wooden stairs disappearing into darkness. They climbed up a series of ramps built into the exterior of the tower. Russel lifted Link up when his small height became a challenge for him. Together they stood before the stairs in silence; it was the point of no return. Russel could feel his heart began to thump hard in his chest.

“Don’t stop now!” The yellow fairy egged them on. “Keep going!”

She was right; the only way to go now was up. And up they went, higher and higher the three ascended until they met a platform with a white crescent decal on it. The wooden platform shook and rose by itself when they stepped foot on it. It stopped and locked in place when it made to the top.  
There was Skull Kid, floating in the air with his back to them. The moon hovered dangerously close to the clock tower, glaring at them with the same glowing eyes the mask possessed. Noticing their presence, Skull Kid turned around to face them. He flipped the light blue ocarina in his left hand and thumbed the chain around his neck with the right. A purple fairy nervously floated by the masked imp’s side. Skull Kid remained silent while the purple fairy spoke up.

“Sis!” he shouted.

“Ah, Tael!” Tatl said, relieved. “We’ve been looking for you two!”

Tael darted a little ahead of Skull Kid but still stayed close to the imp. “Swamp. Mountain. Ocean. Canyon. Hurry…the four who are there…bring them here!” the fairy pled.

“Don’t speak out of line, you stupid fairy!” Skull Kid barked, winding back his arm and slapping Tael with the back of his hand.

“No! What are you doing to my brother?” Tatl yelled. “Skull Kid, do you think you’re our friend after that?!”

Skull Kid scoffed at the fairy’s question. “Well, whatever. Even if they were to come now, they wouldn’t be able to handle me…” He then snickered, as if he told a funny joke, and pointed upwards. “Just look above you. If it’s something that can be stopped, then just try to stop it!”

With that, Skull Kid reached his arms out above his head and screamed. The sound alone made Russel and Link covered where their ears used to be. It was inhuman screeching that disrupted the senses and brought a throbbing headache to them. When it ended, the moon shook and began to drop at a faster rate. Russel’s eyes widened. What they had was several hours just suddenly turned to a few measly minutes. He didn’t have time to think about rational solutions, only something that would work at the second. He grabbed ahold of Link’s wrist, lifted him over his head, and chucked the Deku boy with all his might.

Link screamed as he soared through the air like a missile. His body crashed headfirst into Skull Kid. Caught off guard, Skull Kid dropped the ocarina in the confusion. The ocarina hit the wooden floor, followed by Link who hit the floor face first with a pained moan.

“Do you always throw things at your problems?” Tatl asked.

“Only if I don’t have any better ideas!” Russel quickly replied and he ran towards the downed boy. “Link!” He had to admit, he felt bad for flinging the kid like a random stone.

Link sat up and shook his head.

“Sorry about that,” Russel apologized.

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Link dismissed with a wave of his hand. “Thanks to that, I got my ocarina back!” He raised the light blue instrument in the air triumphantly. “A special friend gave it to me before I left Hyrule. She taught me a special song too.”

Russel could relate to the boy. That chain in Skull Kid’s possession meant as much as that ocarina did to Link. It was funny how the smallest things could mean the whole world to a person.

Tatl smacked Link upside his head. “Snap out of it! What are you doing getting lost in memories? Get yourself together! Getting that old ocarina back isn’t going to help us!” The yellow fairy shouted to the heavens, “Somebody! Anybody! Goddess of Time, help us please! We need more time!”

“Time…” Link muttered to himself. “Time…” Then the boy exclaimed, jumping to his feet and holding the ocarina in front of him. “That’s it!”

“What’s it?” Russel asked, puzzled.

Link put the ocarina to his mouth hole and instrument changed in shape completely. The handheld wind instrument transformed into a set of wooden pipes that curved over the small Deku’s head.

Russel almost fell backwards at the sight.

“Wait, where did you get that instrument?” Tatl said, breaking out of her hysterical ranting.

With the new instrument in his hands, Link played a song. The sound of the Deku Pipes echoed through the distance. Time twisted and contorted at the will of the song, pulling the two Dekus and the fairy into another world. The ticking of clocks droned in Russel’s ears as he fell, deeper and deeper into a dimension filled with clocks. Past events repeated themselves. Entering the mysterious forest, chasing after Skull Kid, running into Link, turning into a Deku, meeting the Mask Salesman, and walking through those clock tower doors to Clock Town. The world around him spun before it came to a jarring halt. 

He shook the cobwebs from his head and his eyes slowly corrected to the environment before them.  
They stood in front of the clock tower back in Clock Town. Russel could help but to feel a strange case a déjà vu washed over him. The same people were gossiping the same conversations he overheard when they first arrived. The town was no longer deserted, but full of life and energy as it was before. He blinked several times and looked up to the sky. The moon wasn’t quickly descending upon the defenseless town but sat farther away in the air above.

“What just happened?” Tatl whispered. “Everything has…”

“Started over…” Russel concluded.

Link laughed and threw his fists into the air. “It worked!” The boy cheered.

“You’re saying you didn’t know if it would even work?” Russel questioned.

“Nope!”

Russel grabbed the boy by the shoulders. “You could have killed us all, Link.” He said.

“But, I didn’t! We made it out alive!” The child responded. Link had his orange eyes slightly closed in a way to appear smiling. He shrugged off Russel’s grip and headed for the tower’s door. “Come on, big guy. If you’re going to hang out with me, you have to think on your toes. Take a risk no matter how big and dangerous it is!”

He couldn’t believe how irresponsible Link sounded. It sounded just like…him. The memory of him made Russel’s blood boil underneath his wooden skin. Risk caused that man to force them to drop everything and relocate to Los Angeles. Risk caused him to summon Demon Boy and scare the wits out of her. That man was risk incarnated and left a bad taste in his mouth. Wanting to rid himself of that sour memory, Russel joined Link’s side and pushed open the tower’s heavy doors.

The Happy Mask Salesman was waiting for their arrival, standing some feet away from the stone stairs leading to the outside world. That creepy wide smile he had three days ago was still on his angular face. 

“There you two are,” The salesman greeted them with open arms. “Were you able to recover your precious items from that imp?”

“If you’re talking about the Ocarina of Time,” Link answered, holding it out to the man. “Then yeah. It wasn’t easy thought.”

The smile on the man’s face grew bigger and he grabbed Link by the shoulders. “You got it! You got it!” he chanted, shaking the boy happily. “I knew you could do!” The large rucksack of masks on the Happy Mask Salesman’s back faded without a trace. He smoothed out his jacket, corrected his posture, and walked to the back of the room. A gigantic organ colored gold and brown that wasn’t there before was erected in the tower. He sat in front of the three large rows of black and white keys and his hands hovered over them. “Now boy, follow after the song that I’m about to perform.” The man commanded. “Remember it well…”

Link pulled out his Deku Pipes while Russel and Tatl observed from the sidelines.

The Happy Mask Salesman tapped at three keys twice, creating an incomplete song from three notes. Playing the same notes as the organ, Link continued playing to complete the song. 

The song itself was a sad, haunting melody in Russel’s ears. A blend of strong emotions flowed throughout his entire body as the song went on. The vines of dark magic that encased his body and trapped him in this wooden form slowly released him at the mysterious song. A weight was lifted from his shoulders and Russel could breathe much easier now. The sound of a wooden object collided with the stone floor made Russel look down. At his feet was the rounded, sad Deku face he once wore, now just a mere wooden mask.

Russel’s eyes swept over his body frantically, looking at his hands, arms, and backside. It was true, he was completely human again. Back to his normal fleshy self but something was different. He wasn’t wearing the same clothes when he entered the forest. His hands and feet were covered in flexible brown leather. On his body he wore a blood red tunic with white form hugging leggings. Leather straps across his chest kept a sheathed claymore in place on his back. Russel looked over at Link, who was glancing over his own body as he was. He noticed something quick. The clothes he now wore were the same clothes Link was wearing, only colored in red than the boy’s forest green tunic.

“We’re back to normal!” Link exclaimed.

Tatl flew around Russel, examining his body as well. “Nice get-up, big guy,” she commented. “Better than the rags we found you in.”

“Thanks,” Russel replied sarcastically. “Though you still look like some overgrown lightning bug.”

“Good that your sense of humor hasn’t changed.”

“Bad that you ain’t trapped in a glass jar.”

“Okay, okay, you two.” Link interrupted the two’s banter as he got between them. “Do you two ever not throw insults at each other?”

The Happy Mask Salesman cleared his throat, grabbing the three’s attention. His organ was gone from existence and his sack returned in place on his back. “That was a melody that heal evil magic and troubled spirits,” the man explained. “It turns them into masks. Certainly, I am sure it will be assistance to you two in the future.”

“So that’s where you get your masks from,” said Russel.

He glanced at Russel, eyes open for just a second, and then he said, “Now, I have fulfilled my promise to you.” He held out his hand towards the two. “So, please, give me that which you promised me.”

“I don’t remember promise you anything,” Russel responded with his arms crossed over his chest.   
“Besides, I didn’t get back what belonged to me from Skull Kid. So, I don’t know what to tell you.”

“So…you didn’t get my mask back…?”

“No,” Link said as he shook his head in defeat. “Skull Kid was too strong for us. Sorry…”

There was silence except for the ticking of the gears of the clock tower. The Happy Mask Salesman’s calm and collected demeanor cracked and he went for Link. The boy didn’t have much time to react when the man’s thin fingers grabbed the front of his tunic. He hoisted him in the air, shaking Link like a rag doll. “What have you done to me?!” the salesman screeched.

The sight of someone defenseless being manhandled by a person much stronger than them brought back more memories. Russel was sick of seeing a man throw around his power to get what he wanted. He would have no more of that, he seen too much of it in the past.

Russel tore Link out of the Happy Mask Salesman’s hold and threw the boy to the hard floor. He didn’t check to see if Link was fine, Russel was more focused on the attacker. The Happy Mask Salesman’s whites and pupils became visible when Russel grabbed the front of the man’s suit. He slammed the man back against the stone wall, causing some of the masks on his pack to fall to the floor with a clatter. Their faces were merely inches away from each other, they shared the same hot and heavy breath.

“If you leave Majora’s Mask out there, something terrible will happen!” The Happy Mask Salesman cried out.

“You think we don’t know that?!” Russel yelled back and gave the man a hard shake. “The damn moon is gonna crash into the Earth ‘cause of that damn mask of yours!”

“Then you have to get it back! You have seen the mask’s dark magic firsthand! You know that having it out there would mean the end of the world!”

“We’ll get that mask back,” Link declared with his fists on his hips. “You can count on us.”

Russel and the Happy Mask Salesman both turned their head towards the boy. “Really?” they said in unison. Russel’s grip on the lanky man’s suit went lax and the Happy Mask Salesman slipped right out of his grasp.

The Happy Mask Salesman’s hands returned to Link’s shoulders and he nodded his head. “Yes, yes. I was certain you would say that.” He straightened his posture and spread his arms out to Russel and Link. “You two will be fine. I’m sure you can do it! Believe in the strengths you possess, my boys! Believe…”


	4. Sparring

In West Clock Town, next door to the town’s post office, was the Clock Town Swordsman’s School. The interior of the building was a typical Japanese dojo setting. Even down to the straw matting that covered the floor.

“Before we can even get started on our quest, we have to make sure you’re battle ready. So, for today, I will be your teacher and you will be my willing to learn student!”

Link stood proud, tall, and with his hands on his hips on the dojo’s stage. There was a bright and confident smile on the young boy’s face as he looked down at his pupil. Which was Russel, who sat on the floor with his legs folded. The day had barely begun when Link dragged him by the arm to the Swordsman’s School. And now here he was, getting sword training from a kid. Well, this wasn’t how he was expecting to spend his morning.

“This is weird,” Russel commented, leaning back on his hands.

“I gotta agree with the big guy,” Tatl said, hovering next to Link’s head. “This is kind of weird. You teaching an adult? How backwards is that?”

“You’re saying I can’t do it?” Link retorted with a puffed-out chest. “I told you I’m the best swordsman in Hyrule! What more do you guys need? A demonstration?”

Russel lifted himself to the feet with a grunt and made his way to boy. “Sure,” he said and leaned his elbows on the stage. “Humor us, Mister Best Swordsman. Amaze us with your swordsmanship.” He was skeptical of the boy’s apparent abilities. Anyone could boast about their talents but always failed to back up those claims. Russel prepared himself for disappointment as usual.

“Master,” Link said eagerly. “I want to try your expert course.”

“Hmm?” The Swordsman Master, a middle-aged man sitting upon a pillow on his knees observing the two, mumbled. He scratched his head through the mass of long and curly brown hair which covered his eyes. “Well alright then. But it will cost you ten rupees for it. Up front, that is.”

From a small burlap wallet tied to the boy’s leather belt, Link dumped two blue hexagonal jewels into the palm of his hand and gave it to the man. The Swordsman Master grabbed the rupees and pocketed the money inside the unruly mass that was his hair. Link didn’t say another word when he walked to the center of the dojo floor. His adorable, youthful face hardened quickly to a concentrated and intense scowl; a sight Russel had never see from the boy before. Link’s right hand reached behind his head, grasping the hilt of his sword tight.

“The swordsman’s expert course begins…now!” The swordsman master announced and slammed his fist against the floor at his knees.

On the master’s command, thick logs jutted out from marked holes on the floor around Link in a circle. Link unsheathed his blade in a single motion of his right arm. His sword, small compared to the blade on Russel’s back, slashed through the dojo’s stale air and at the log in front of him. Instead of the sword sticking fast into the log’s bark as expected, the sword cut through the middle of log diagonally as if it that made of tissue paper. The top of the log detected from the rest and fell to the floor with a hard thud at Link’s feet. Link bounced back and moved on to the next unmoving target, another log behind him.

Link flipped backwards with the grace of a gymnast and landed on his feet without stumbling. The boy twisted his body around quick and sliced the log in half horizontally, hollering out loud. He jumped back once more when the log fell apart and locked onto another log. Link leapt into the air with his sword over his head and brought it down in an arc, splitting the log from the top to its base. The boy’s face squished with concentration while he lowered his body and adjusted his grip on the sword. Particles in the air were sucked in towards the sword’s blade like it was a magnet, causing the air to wave and bend around him. Suddenly, blue magic exploded from the sword and swirled in circles around the metal. Link yelled and spun three hundred and sixty degrees, releasing the magic from his will.

The magic radiated outwards from the center of the room to then walls of the dojo. It slashed the remaining logs across the middle and ruffled Russel’s clothes when it rushed pass him. It was cool, almost like water against his face.

Link sheathed his sword and placed his hands on his hips. “Well, how about that?” the boy asked, looking around at the work he did. “This was just practice. You should see me when we get into a real fight.”

“Okay, okay. Color me impressed.” Russel admitted as he shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting anything like that.” It was true, he wasn’t sure Link was going to support his word. The boy’s fighting style, the way he held himself and his weapon. It brought back more memories, but Russel crushed them down quick. Smothered them beneath a mental blanket. He hated those memories that constantly berated him. All he wanted was to forget about them. But this strange world was trying its damnest to make him remember. The fighting, the screaming, and the fake bullshit; that was what he was trying to escape from.

“Now it’s your turn,” Link’s voice brought Russel back to the real world and grabbed ahold of his hand. “You won’t be practicing on the expert course just yet.” He dragged the larger man to the center of the room, released his hand, and stood in front of him. “Every good swordsman has to start from the beginning and learn the basics.”

“I wouldn’t call myself a swordsman,” Russel replied. “Right now, I’m just some guy with a large sword.” He never picked up a sword in his life. The only time he picked up something sharp as a weapon was a meat cleaver to defend himself from a zombie. Cleavers and swords were on two different sides of the bladed weapon spectrum.

“And I’m just a kid with a fancy knife,” Link countered, drawing his sword and shield. “I learned to fight through hard work and practice. But we only have a few hours, so a brief rundown of the basics should be enough. The real practice comes when we leave town and fight some monsters. Now draw your sword for me.”

Russel gripped the hilt of his sword in one hand and slowly pulled it from the sheath. The sword was heavier than it looked, and he had to hold it in both of his hands to keep it balanced. He held the heavy blade out awkwardly in front of him and towards Link. Holding a sword was strange. It wasn’t something he would do in normal circumstances. He wasn’t a fighter and if he did have to fight, he rather use his fists instead. But he had no idea what kinds of horror lied outside of Clock Town’s walls. If it was something like the Skulltulla in the sewers, then he rather use a sword than his own hands.

“Why don’t I have a shield like you do?” asked Russel. He realized he was short on equipment when he removed his sword from his back.

“Because your sword is too big to have a shield too,” Link explained. “You can block most attack with your sword if you react fast enough. Like this!”

Without warning, Link swung his sword in an upwards arc at Russel. The large man flinched and brought his blade close to his body diagonally. Link’s sword struck Russel’s sword in the center, causing the metals to clang against one another and Link to stumble backwards.

The boy seemed happy with the result and a wide grin appeared on his face. “Yeah, just like that!”

“At least warn a guy when you go swinging your sword like that!”

“Huh? Why would I?” Link questioned with a tilt of his head. “Enemies on the battlefield won’t warn you when they attack.”

“I guess you’re right about that.”

“That’s why you have to think on your toes,” said Link. The boy readied his stance once more, shifting his grip on his sword and shield. He pointed the tip of his blade at Russel and proceeded to walk slow circles around him. “Watch your enemies’ every movement. No matter how weird they are. Quietly spot an area of weakness. And when you find an opening,” Link rolled out of Russel’s line of sight and reappeared in his peripheral. “You strike!” Link was in the air now, his blade high above his head.

This time, Russel was ready for him. Just before Link brought his sword down, Russel held his sword tight in his hands. Their blades collided in a flurry of orange sparks. The force of the attack had Russel digging his heels into the mat covered floor. Russel then launched his counterattack: a wide swing of his sword. The blue and grey of Link’s shield filled his vision as the boy held it to his side. The sword connected with the shield hard, sending vibrations up the sword and into his arms. Russel did not lose his hold on his sword though and attacked again, bringing his sword down at an angle. Link blocked his oncoming attack with his shield in front of him, protecting his face. Russel didn’t let up. He pressed his entire body weight onto his sword and the young boy’s shield as he towered over him. He saw Link’s body tremble while he gritted his teeth together and sweat formed on his brow. Just a little bit more. A little bit more and the kid’s guard would finally break.

Link threw back his shield with all his might, deflecting the large sword from off him. Russel stumbled back a few feet before regaining his balance. He didn’t expect him to throw him off that easily. But Russel wasn’t going to give up that quickly. He was now determined to defeat the self-proclaimed ‘best swordsman in Hyrule’.

_And when you find an opening_ , Link’s words repeated in his head. With his right shoulder, Russel rammed into the boy’s shield. He knew his strength alone better than using a sword. The raw power behind the shoulder ram caused Link to stagger. Just what he wanted to happen.

_You strike!_

Blue magic, similar to the stuff during Link’s demonstration, consumed the sword’s large blade in an instant. It swirled from Russel’s gloved hands around the metal like a churning vortex. For a moment, Russel could only stare at it. Was this the power the Great Fairy gave him? It felt like fire at his fingertips, hot and burning but it did not hurt him. He threw his sword down hard, hitting the mat at Link’s feet and expelling the magic in a huge burst. The magic sent a powerful tremor through the floor, causing it to shift and quake from the epicenter of Russel. Part of the floor under Link dipped then ascended, which made the boy stumble and lose his balance. When he hit the floor, his sword slipped from his grasp and bounced away from its owner. The floor settled as the tremor died down and Link struggled to get back up to his feet. He lifted his head up only to meet the sharp tip of Russel’s sword just barely touching his nose.

Russel stood there quietly, waiting for the boy’s response. He had just one-upped the best swordsman in Hyrule. Not sure what that really meant in the long run, but it felt good. How was he going to react to all of this? His breathing slowed down, and the rush of adrenaline ebbed away from his veins.

Instead of a frown, a playful smirk came upon Link’s face and he shook his head with a small laugh. He pushed the blade to the side nonchalantly, slapped a hand on his knee, and pulled himself up to his feet. Russel lowered his weapon and took a large step back when he did.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Link commented as he went over to get his sword. “You’re the first adult to actually disarm me.” He sheathed his sword back in its blue sheath and faced Russel.

Russel did the same with his own blade. “Well, I hope that’s a good thing,” he said.

With a nod, Link replied, “It is. Especially since you’re just a rookie with no battles under his belt. But I must be doing something right if you caught on that quick.” Link grinned big and folded his arms behind his head, tapping the tips of his boots against the floor. It was difficult for him to hide the satisfaction on his face. “It feels good to pass down some of my skills to someone. Feels really good.”

“Are you two done yet?” Tatl asked as she floated over to the two. “We wasted enough time on…this. Whatever you guys wanna call it.” She dipped a little in the air with her words. “Ready to actually get going?”

“Yeah, just give me a minute.” Link said then he dug around in the shirt of his tunic. From it, he pulled out another ocarina. This one was different from the one Link called the Ocarina of Time. Instead of light blue, the ocarina was light brown with a green band around its mouth piece. “Here,” he said, handing the instrument towards the older man. “I want you to have this. For a job well down.”

Taking the ocarina out of his hand, Russel gave it a look. The brown instrument was a little on the small size for him, but he could work with it. He ran his thumb across the ocarina’s smooth surface. Holding it felt right for some reason.

“Another special friend of mine gave that to me,” Link said. “I think it would be in, uh, better hands with you.” He looked nervous as he scratched his check and swayed back and forth on his heels.

Russel heard the apprehensiveness in the boy’s voice. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by an irritated Tatl.

“Ugh, can we go now?!” the fairy whined. “You guys took long enough! We could have been in the Southern Swamp by now if you two were wasting time!”

Link nodded, “Yeah, we can get going now.”

When the group stepped out of the Swordsman’s School, a peculiar person was waiting for them. It was a man but not a normal resident of Clock Town that roamed around the streets. This man was short, a little bit taller than Link, and wore a green full body suit with red underpants. The man ran up to them, cheeks rosy and grinning from ear to pointy ear. He looked like some kind of circus act that escaped from the carnival. 

“Strange clothes and a fairy?” the man spoke, looking at Link and Russel from head to toe. “You two must be forest people! Tingle knows a forest dweller when he sees one!”

“Uh,” Link said but was interrupted immediately.

“I might look to be a 35-year old man, but I can tell you that I am the reincarnation of a fairy!” The man named Tingle proclaimed with a pose. “Please, let us be friends! I know! As I sign of our new-found friendship, let me give you two genuine maps of Clock Town and the Southern Swamp! _Tingle Tingle Kooloo-Limpah_!”

Two sheets of brown parchment shot out from the fairy man’s blue backpack and fluttered down, each landing in Russel and Link’s hands. Before another could speak a word, Tingle was dashing down the street and disappeared around the corner. Russel looked down at the parchment and, strangely, it was an accurate map of Clock Town. They weren’t scammed by some insane man who thought he was a fairy.

“Well,” Tatl commented, “That was weird and oddly convenient.”


End file.
